AR, Values, and Philosophy - 1 Andrew P. Johnson, Ph.D. – www.OPDT-Johnson.com ACTION RESEARCH, PERSONAL VALUES, AND YOUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY This is an excerpt from my book: A Short Guide to Action Research (4 th ed), (2012), published by Pearson Education Values and Philosophy Action research projects can be designed to identify, elucidate, and then align your teaching practices with a set of values and/or an educational philosophy. Values. A value is anything you find to be of importance or of worth (Johnson, 2009). For action research projects, the focus will be on personal traits and educational experiences that you value. So, what traits (or dispositions) do you value (see Figure 1)? How are these manifest throughout the day or week? Are your actions and interactions with students and colleagues in alignment with these values? An action research project here could involve creating a checklist with a set of identified traits on it and then using tally marks to record when each trait is displayed throughout the day. This enables you to bring into consciousness those personal traits you wish to grow or enhance. It also helps you to be in alignment with your values as you interact with students and colleagues. A daily journal could also be used. Here you would identify four to six personal traits that are of value to you and record how each was manifest throughout the day. You would then use inductive analysis to look for patterns over time as you examine your journal entries over time. Figure 1. Personal traits or dispositions. empathy respect kindness fairness non-violence honesty fortitude harmony truthfulness self-control humility non-judgment reverence service to others courage hard working compassion nurturing words generosity gratitude courage optimism truthfulness courtesy positive thinking forgiveness reflection-contemplation integrity creativity sincerity balance-moderation self-discipline Expanding your awareness like this is a way of transforming consciousness. Consciousness is transformed by what we choose to give our attention to. The Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh (1998) says we have both wholesome and unwholesome seeds (personal traits) within our store consciousness. The wholesome seeds uplift and help us transform us. These are traits such as humility, self-respect, non-craving, non-anger, concentration, diligence, equanimity, and non-violence. The unwholesome seeds are heavy and imprison us. These are traits such as anger, greed, hatred, ignorance, pride, and doubt. We have a choice in every situation as to which seeds receive our attention and thus, become watered. Seeds create emotional states from which thoughts arise. Thought precedes action, thus, our actions (good), are dependent on our attention. Focusing on internal states is an important part of helping us to be and become that teacher that we want to be. A value is also related to the things you find of importance in a teaching and learning situation. An